As more beauty shoppers seek out holistic products that work to enhance beauty from the inside out, the Nutraingredients-Europe Awards introduced a new category that celebrated finished products in the Beauty-from-Within space for the very first time.
The winner of this new category (Beauty-from-Within Product of the Year) was NADH & Saffron Bioactives Emerald Elixier, a premium beauty and longevity supplement created by German brand HECH, which works to enhance cellular function, optimize energy metabolism and support skin and connective tissue health.
Unique combination of NADH & saffron
The product’s key ingredient is NADH (the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+), included to boost ATP synthesis and energize cellular repair and collagen production.
The formula also features chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus), which HECH says “balances dopamine and progesterone, regulating sebum and stress-related skin disruptions”, saffron to “protect against UV damage, inflammation and pigmentation” and a blend of high- and mid-density molecular collagen peptides for skin matrix reinforcement.
The combination is designed to optimize metabolism, strengthen dermal structures and harmonize hormones to improve skin from within.
Skin care and longevity benefits
“We wanted to combine beauty-from-within ingredients with longevity-focused ingredients,” said Dr. Steffen Wegener, head of product development at HECH.
“NADH is a key ingredient in terms of longevity, but only when you combine those metabolic factors can you get the best results from the product,” he explained.
“We need to take care of the mental load as much as how we look physically. Just addressing one specific issue won’t help in the long run; only if you combine those metabolic effects with the classic beauty-from-within will you get the desired effect.”
Dr. Wegener said that HECH has already sold over 100,000 units of this product.
“People are looking for more than just a beauty supplement now,” he shared.
HECH’s Business Development and Marketing Manager, Gaia Kakkar, also noted that in today’s saturated beauty-from-within market, dominated by collagen-based products, this supplement stands out for its distinctive and innovative formulation.
Making cutting-edge science ‘more accessible to all’
Going forward, Dr. Wegener shared that HECH is also developing a whole new line that will “target different aspects of beauty and longevity.”
He added that the company has begun collaborating with a global network of dermatologists and aesthetic medicine specialists, gaining access to professional insights and expert feedback on its products.
When asked about what it meant to the company to win the NutraIngredient Award, Dr. Wegener said:
“It’s a great honor, and we are happy to be in this highly innovative community. As a company, it enforces our mission to take the latest science and translate it into products available for everyone, to make it more accessible for all.
“It’s one of the greatest honors in the business. It means a lot. In the past, it has helped me identify new companies that I wanted to work with, and it will be a great opportunity for us.”
